San Marcos Vote Has National Implications

In an election with possible national ramifications, San Marcos voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to approve construction of a $217-million trash-to-energy plant to process North County’s garbage.

Advocates on both sides of the issue acknowledge that if the voters approve the measure, the San Marcos plant could become a model for others across the nation as local governments grapple with the thorny--and expensive--problem of how to dispose of garbage.

Proponents characterize the proposed plant as a state-of-the-art solution to the age-old problem of trash disposal and an environmentally sound alternative to continued reliance on landfills. In addition, they contend that the plant, where trash would be burned, recycled or buried, would generate enough electricity to serve 40,000 households and produce millions of dollars for the City of San Marcos and the county, as well as private investors.

Opponents charge the plant would worsen air pollution by adding 6.3 million tons of daily emissions into North County’s air and would pose severe health risks, in part because it would create dioxins, which are carcinogens. Opponents also argue that the plant’s proposed 300-foot-high emissions stack is incompatible with the surrounding rural area.

If voters reject the proposal, county officials would have to expedite their search for a new landfill site in North County or expand the existing garbage dump in San Marcos.